LAGOS, Nigeria

Gunmen killed 10 people and displaced many others in an attack on the Amegu Nkalaha community in southeastern Nigeria’s Ishielu local government area of Ebonyi state, police said Monday.

The attackers who are believed to be members of the separatist group IPOB also set fire to several homes and destroyed properties, police spokesperson Joshua Ukandu told Anadolu.

"Several houses were also burnt selectively in the area, and other properties were destroyed. Upon receipt of the information, we drafted police operatives to the area," Ukandu said.

"We are currently investigating the incident while normalcy has returned to the area," he added.

While southeastern Nigeria has faced frequent attacks by armed groups, insecurity in the region has also been fueled by clashes between herders and farmers, with farmland destruction and killings persisting despite calls for a nationwide ranching system.